Venting Greens for Thanksgiving

Over the last couple of months we have been on an aggressive maintenace program to allow us to have surpurb putting conditions here at the foundry.  The greens have been rolled 3-5 days a week along with daily mowing and a fine tuned growth regulator program to enhance greens speeds.  This type of schedule does cause the surface to become compacted and sealed off.  This prevents water and nutrients from getting to the root zone  I have elected to perform a venting/solid tine aeration.  The hole size is only 9mm.  The concept is to break the surface tension which will allow water and nutrients to reach the root system.  Even though it is three days from thanksgiving greens management is still key!   

Applying a light coat of sand topdressing to the putting surface

Venting greens with 9mm tines

3 inch hole spacing

Rolling/Smoothing out the green after venting

Brushing the sand into the canopy

Putting surface after watering in the sand